We had one of those special opportunities to go see a movie over Valentine\u2019s Day weekend. I really looked forward to sitting down and enjoying a pleasant little film.<\/p>\n
In the end, that did happen. However, I feel like my ADD got in the way a little bit. I blame it on the much-worse ADD of other people.<\/p>\n
We found nice seats a few rows up in the upper part of the movie theater. We settled in, chatted through the previews and then dug into our snacks when the main feature started.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when it happened. A light here, a light there, a light almost everywhere. Cell phones.<\/p>\n
Far be it from me to complain about people using technology. I love technology. I feel shackled by my pre-paid cell phone and desperately yearn for something more fancy and fun even though I know it would be a waste of money.<\/p>\n
I think we all know by now that we need to turn down the ringer on our phones when we go to a movie or play or something like that. You don\u2019t want to ruin everything with a ring in the middle of an important scene.<\/p>\n
So why can\u2019t the courtesy be extended to texting or posting messages online during the performance?<\/p>\n
I wish I could bore my friends with constant updates on Twitter and Facebook when I am away from a computer, but I have made my choice and live with it.<\/p>\n
Others need to do the same. I\u2019m trying not to sound like an angry old man here, but when you see someone\u2019s phone light up every few minutes \u2013 and that\u2019s no exaggeration \u2013 you have to wonder why they even came to the movies in the first place.<\/p>\n
I felt so bad when I realized late in the movie that I didn\u2019t wear my watch. I knew how long the film was and wondered how long they had to wrap up the obvious loose ends in the plot. So I slyly popped open my phone to check the time. It took two seconds, but I still hated doing it.<\/p>\n
You can pin some of this on me. I have a curious personality and am drawn to things like a phone lighting up in the middle of a dark theater. I need to work on not losing my focus when that happens.<\/p>\n
But what is so stinking important that you need to share it with someone right now?<\/p>\n
You\u2019re sitting in a movie theater. You\u2019re watching a movie. Bring the person along if they need to know what\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n
Or, better yet, make them wait (gasp!) a couple of hours before you respond to the all-important \u201csup?\u201d message.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t expect the theater to turn into church, although I have probably heard more cell phones ring in church than in the movies. After all, I like nothing better than making snarky comments to my wife when we catch a flick.<\/p>\n
But I know that I need to do it in a way so I avoid bothering others. After all these years, we almost have it down to a science.<\/p>\n
Thank God I have her with me. Otherwise, I\u2019d have to text my jokes to someone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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